Wing brace for railroad spreaders



y 1933- J. c. FORBES ET AL 1,907,944

WING BRACE FOR RAILROAD SPREADERS Filed April 4, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet lMay 9, 1933. J c FORBES ET AL 1,907,94Vi

.WING BRACE FOR RAILROAD SPREADERS Filed April 4, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2%W. l RWN Qm. N w W/ m 4.////////////////////////// /u ll 1ll,[ I, E 6 0:JIIJ.1II.\ I at H u M m m M m a M M i! wwfi Ram I w w a 2: i g RN NNQ.I: l I NW a wwmw MK y 9, 1933. J. c. FORBES E AL 1,907,944

WING BRAGE FOR RAILROAD SPREADERS v I I Filed April 4, 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Imfcenfis JHMEs CLFORBES WWW,

Patented May 9, 1933 warren STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES C. FORBES ANDALBERT W. BANTON, OF EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS T 0. F. JORDANCOMPANY, OF EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA WING BRAGEFOR RAILROAD SEREADEBS Application filed April 4, 1931. Serial No.527,836.

This invention relates to improvements in wing braces for railroadspreaders and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

The primary object of the'invention is to provide a simple and eliicienttelescopic brace for holding the main spreader wing of a railroadspreader in any one of its material spreading positions under the greatstrain imposed upon said wing by the material being spread thereby.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide in a brace of this kind,telescopic members, one of which slides in the other and includes a rackalong one side adapted for engagement by a short rack-like block canried by the other, whereby the stress of the main spreader wing whichtends to cause relative retraction of the brace parts is resisted by anumber of tooth-like members on the block, whereby the holding power ofthe brace is greatly increased.

The above mentioned objects of the inven- '25- tion as well as others,together with the many advantages thereof, will more fully appear as weproceed with our specification.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a railroadspreader car and associated main 403 view on a further enlarged scalethrough the locking mechanism of the brace, the plane of the sectionbeing indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal detail sectional view through a part of ourimproved brace structure as taken on the line 4-& of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional View through a part of thebrace as taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a certain locking cylinder employed inour improved brace construction.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a certain locking block employed in ourimproved brace construction.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawings1 indicates as a whole a part of the car of a railroadspreader including side sills 2, center sills 3 and cross members 4, 5,6 and 7 respectively. Associated with the cross members 4, at one sideof the car, is an upright wing-post 8 upon which a wing-p0st carriage 9is mounted for a vertical, guided movement. This carriage includeslaterally extending ears 10 to which a hinge-plate 11 is pivoted for aswinging movement about a vertically disposed pin 12.

13 indicates the main spreader wing of the car having its inner or frontend pivoted to v the hinge-plate 11 by a horizontal pin 14. The outer orrear end of the main spreader wing has pivoted thereto an extension orbank shaper wing 15, in the manner well known. By the constructiondescribed, the main spreader wing along with the extension or bankshaper wing, may be swung away from or toward the car about the pin 12as an axis and said wings may be swung into the desired vertical angularposition about the hinge-plate pin 14 as an axis.

To swing the wing away from the car into the desired operative positionand in toward and substantially parallel with the side of the car whenthe car is to be transported from one place of use to another, weprovide a power cylinder 16 and associated piston rod 17. The inner endof the power cylinder has a universal-like joint connection 18 with theside sill 2 near the cross memher 5, while the outer end of the pistonrod has a similar joint connection 19 with the inner or rear side of themain spreader wing. The power cylinder is adapted for opera tion bymeans of fluid under pressure and therefore there is connected to eachend thereof, conduits 20 and 21 leading from a source of fluid underpressure, such as an air tank 22 located on the car. A suitable valve 23controls the admission and exhaust into the desired operative position.When such fluid is admitted to the outer end of the cylinder, the rod 17is retracted into the cylinder and the wing is swung inwardly toward thecar. In this movement of the wing,the cylinder 16 swings into a positionsubstantially parallel with and above the side sill.

To hold the wing in the desired operative position, many expedients haveto be tried but all of them were open to certain objections due to thestructure thereof. some instances, folding braceshave been employed butthese has not proven satisfactory upon the heavier types of spreaders asthey 20 failed to withstand the greater pressures imposed upon them bythe wing in operat ing upon the material to be spread. Telescopic braceswith a locking pin and hole have also been used but these likewise havefailed to stand up. Hydraulic gripping devices have also been used tohold the telescopic brace parts in'extended or projected position butthis has proven costly as all elements entering thereinto, hadto be madeto withstand the heavy hydraulic pressures requiredto hold the braces.

In bracing such a wing, two telescopic braces 2 and 25 are employed forthe main wing itself and one brace 26 is employed for the extension andas all braces embodying our invention are the same, a description of onewill suffice forall. Each brace consists of a tube 27 pivoted: at itsinner end to the side sill 5 by means of a twoway or universal-likejoint 28. By such a twoway oint we mean a joint including at least twopivotal axes disposed at an angle to. each other. ()11 the outer end ofsald tube.

27 is a, hollow casting 29 including a collar 30 at its inner or rearend welded or otherwise secured to the end of the tube 27 which itsurrounds. Near said collar on the top side of the casting is provided ahollow boss 31 and on the outer or front end of said casting are twolaterally spaced upstanding cars 32.

Associated with the tube 27 and telescopic with respect thereto forrelative projection and retraction, is a second tube 33 disposed 5eccentrically in or off center with respect to the tube 2.7. The inneror rear end of said tube 33 is provided with a guide head 34 for slidingmovement in thetube 27 and at the front end of the casting is aninternal fiange 35 engaged by the tube 33 ,whereby the same has a guidedsliding bearing, The outer or front end of the tube 33 has auniversal-like joint connection 36 with the inner or rear side of themain wing 13 and -which is similar to the joint connection 28 r beforedescribed but provides a three-way instead of a two-way connectionbetween the wing and tube 33.

On the top side and extending the full length of the tube 33 is atoothed bar 37 secured thereto in any suitable manner as by welding.This bar slides through a rectangular channel 38 provided therefor inthe casting 29 below the boss 31 whereby it held against a turningmovement with respect to the tube 27. In the Years 32 of the casting 29.is atransverse shaft '39 upon which is disposed. a gear 40 meshing withthetoothed bar 37. This gear not only acts in the nature of an upwardthrust bearing fort-he tube but also acts to clean the spaces betweenthe teeth of the bar 37 of such material as tends to adhere thereto sothat such material is prevented from being carried into the tube 27 whenthe tube 33 is retracted thereinto.

Above the boss 31 is located a power look-- ing: cylinder 42. Saidcylinder which is open at the top has a closed bottom wall 43 that.includes longitudinally spaced feet a l bolted to the ends of the boss31 of the casting 29. The open top of the cylinder is closed b a capor'head 45 having a vent 4:6 therem. In the cylinder is a piston 47mounted on a rod 43 that extends down through a. stufling box 49 in thebottom wall 43 of the cylinder. A spring 50 is arranged in the cylinderbetween the piston 4-7 and the head 4-5 to normally urge the piston andits rod 48 downwardly. A conduit 51 opens into one side of the cylinderbelow the piston and the conduit of each of the braces connects with aheader 52 which leads from the air tank 22 before mentioned. Associatedwith this header is a valve 53 whereby the admission of fluid under pressure is simultaneously controlled for the cylinders of the severalbraces. When such fluid is admitted to the cylinder, the piston iscaused to ascend and compress the spring 50. When such pressure fluid iscut off from the cylinder, the compressed spring forces the pistondownwardly in the cylinder.

Operatively connected to the bottom end of the piston rod and disposedin the boss 31 is a locking block 54 formed on its bottom surface withteeth 55 adapted for engagement in the spaces between the teeth of thebar 37 Said block is provided at the top with centrally disposedlaterally spaced, inwardly extending flanges 56 for detaclr ableengagement with an annular groove 57 in the bottom end. of the pistonrod. By this arrangement, the locking block may be detachably connectedto the piston rod 48 before the cylinder 42 is bolted to the boss 31.

Before swinging the wing into operative position away from the car, thevalve 53 is manipulated to admit fluid under pressure to the cylindersof the various braces and causes an upward movement of the associatedpistons therein. This withdraws each toothed locking blocl: fromengagement with the associated bar 37. By admitting fluid under pressureto the rear end 01": the cylinder 16, the piston 17 thereoi is projectedand this causes the wing to swing outward from the car about the pin 12.In this outward swing of the wing, the tube 33 of each wing brace iswithdrawn from its associated tube 27 into extended or projectedposition as will accommodate the position into which the wing has beenstrung for operation.

- Thereafterthe valve 54 is again manipulated to cut off the fluid underpressure to the various locking cylinders 12 and the compressed springs50 therein, expand and force the associated pistons downwardly to engage the respective locking blocks with the toothed bars of the tubes33.

By the construction described, each brace is locked in its extendedposition by a plurality of teeth. Thus when a pressure is imposed uponthe brace when in holding the wing in operating upon a mass of ballastor like material, such pressure is equally divided between the severalteeth of the blocks so that such pressure is amply resisted. reason ofthe use of the gear 40, the toothed bar 37 is cleaned each time theassociated brace is operated so that no dirt or grit can be carried backinto the tube 27. A ain, such a gear takes up the upward thrust that thetube 33 imposes upon in use so that said tube runs true in its movementinto and out of the tube 27. Thus a locking brace comprising but a fewparts is bad wherein. the brace is positively held in its extendedposition without slipping.

While in describing our invention, we have referred in detail to theform, arrangement and construction of the parts th not, the same is tobe considered as illustrative only, so that we do not wish to be limitedthereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

W'e claim as our invention 1. In combination with a pair of coactingtelescopic elements, a member carried by one element and through whichthe other element is longitudinally movable, a toothed bar fixed to oneside of said other element, a power cylinder carried by said member andincluding a piston and piston rod, a block carried by said piston rodand including teeth for engagementwith the teeth of the bar on saidother element and a gear element journalled in said member and having arolling thrust bearing engagement with said toothed bar.

2. In combination with a pair of coacting telescopic elements, a membercarried by one of said elements and through which the other element islongitudinally movable, said member including a hollow boss therein, atoothed bar fixed to said other element in the planeof said boss, alocking block ar- H ranged in said hollow boss for movement toward andaway from said other element and having teeth for engagement with theteeth of said bar, means for imparting movement to said block in saidhollow boss toward and away from said other element and a gear elementjournalled in said member and having a rolling thrust bearing engagementwith said toothed bar.

3. Incombination with a pair of coacting telescopic eiements, a membercarried by one of said elements and through which the other element islongitudinally movable, said member including a hollow boss therein, atoothed bar fixed to said other element in the plane of said boss, alocking block arranged in said hollow boss for movement toward and awayfrom said other element and having teeth for engagement with the teethofsaid bar, a power cylinder carried on said boss and including a pistonand a piston rod, the latter being operatively connected to said blockfor moving it in the boss, into and out of engagement with said toothedbar and a gear element journalled in said member and having a rollingthrust bearing engagement with said toothed bar.

. In combination with a pair of coacting telescopic elements, a membercarried by one of said elements and through which the other element islongitudinally movable, a device journalled in said member and providinga rolling bearing for said other element therein, a locking device alsomovable in said member toward and away from said other element andmeansproviding a plu rality of interengaging projections on said otherelement and said locking device respectively.

5. In combination with a pair of coacting telescopic elements, a membercarried by one of said elements and through which the other element islongitudinally movable, a toothed bar secured to said other element, atoothed wheel journalled in said member and engaged with said toothedbar to form a rolling bearing for said other element and a blockdisposed in said member for movement toward and away from said other element and including a number of teeth for engagement with said toothedbar on said other element.

6. In combination with a tubular brace element, a member on one endthereof, a second tubular element disposed ofi center and capable of atelescopic movement with respect to said first mentioned element, meanscarried by one end of said second tubular element for guiding engagementin the first mentioned one, and means also carried by said member for arolling bearing engagement with respect to saidsecond mentioned element.7 7

7. Iii-combination with a tubular brace element, a member on one endthereof, a second tubularelement disposed off center and capable ofatelescopic movement with respect to said first mentioned element, meanscarried by one end of said second tubular element for guiding engagementin the first mentioned one, means carried by said member for a rollingbearing engagement with said second mentioned element and a lockingmember also disposed in said member for movement toward and away fromsaid second element, said second element and said locking member havinga plurality of interengaging tooth-like projections.

8. In combination with a tubular brace element, a member on one endthereof, a second tubular element disposed ofi' center and capable of atelescopic movement in the first element, means carried by one end ofsaid second element for guiding engagement in the first mentioned one, atooth bar fixed to one side of said second element, a toothed wheeljournalled in said member and having a rolling bearing engagement withsaid toothed bar and means also in said member and disposed in the planeof said toothed wheel for movement toward and away from said secondelement and having teeth for engagement with the toothed bar on saidsecond element. I

9. In combination with a tubular brace element, a member on one endthereof, a

second tubular element disposed off center and capable of a telescopicmovement in the first element, and having a bearing along one side witha part of said member, means on one end of said second element forhearing engagement in said first mentioned element, a toothed bar fixedto the opposite side of the second element, a toothed wheel journalledin said member and having a rolling bearing engagement with said toothedbar, and means also in said member in the plane of said wheel capable ofmovement toward and away from said second element and having teethadapted for engagement with the toothed bar on said second element. Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 1st day of April,1931. JAMES C. FORBES. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set myhand, this 1st day of April, 1931. ALBERT W. BANTON.

